Air pump for inflatable structures



Dec. 18, 1962 J. M. PINKWATER AIR PUMP FOR INFLATABLE STRUCTURES FiledJan. 16, 1961 96 1N VEN TOR.'

AT T ORNE YS.

United States Patent O Am PUMP FOR INFLATABLE STRUCTURES Joseph M.Pinkwater, Lncolnwood, lll., assignor to Monroe Fabricators, Inc.

Filed Jian. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 83,022 2 Claims. (Cl. 5-348) Thisinvention relates to an air pump for structures such as inflatable airmattresses, bags, rafts, wading pools, and other structures having aircompartments for inflating them, which are constructed of impermeableelastomers', plastics, fabrics, and other materials. The invention isparticularly directed to an air pump for inflatable structures of thetype wherein the pump is contained in the structure, in or adjacent toan air compartment.

An important object of the invention is to provide a strong, durable,and water-resistant air pump for inflatable structures.

A particular object is to provide an air pump which may be operatedmanually, especially by foot pressure, and which stands up underrepeated use without fracture or failure due to fatigue.

Another object is to provide an air pump construction containing aminimum number of parts, which preferably are made of elastomeric orplastic materials, and which do not include springs, panels and otherparts as previously employed made of metal, cardboard and othermaterials which may be damaged in use.

An additional object is to provide an air pump which is resistant tochemical and physical attack, especially to moisture and oxidation.

A further object is to provide a self-contained inflatable structurewhich includes an air pump having the foregoing characteristics.

These and other objects, advantages and functions of the invention willbe apparent upon reference to the specification and to the attacheddrawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in whichlike reference characters represent like parts in each of the views, andin which:

FIGURE l is a top perspective view illustrating a selfcontained airmattress constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the airpump contained in the air mattress of FIGURE l, illustrating the pump inthe process of expanding to inflate the pump body;

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIGURE 2 illustrating the pump body beingcompressed to deflate the body and to exhaust air therefrom to inflatethe mattress;

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken online y4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a similarly enlarged top plan view of theair intake checkvalve mounted on the air pump, illustrating its mounting on the outersurface of the mattress; and

FIGURE 6 is a partly sectional view similar to FIG- URE 4 of the intakevalve with its closure in place.

The invention provides an air pump for inflatable structures whichincludes a hollow body constructedof flexible synthetic thermoplasticresinous material, a top wall in the body which is adapted for receivingpressure thereon, a plurality of resilient folds in a side wall in thebody which support the body in an expanded state, the folds beingcompressible to deflate the body and expansible upon release of pressureto inflate the body, air exhaust opening means in the body, and airintake opening means in the body. Y

A self-contained inflatable structure is provided which preferablyincludes an aircompartment and the air pump therein. The air pump andthe inflatable structure are characterized by their construction ofparts and materials "ice which are very serviceable and long lasting,not subject to attack by moisture, fatigue, and disarrangement of parts,as had been encountered in prior structures.

In the drawings, a preferred embodiment of a selfcontained air mattressis generally indicated by the numeral 10. It includes acompartmentalized inflatable bag` structure 12 having a transverse endpillow compartment 14 and a plurality of longitudinal tubularbody-supportingcompartments 16, and an air pump 18 for the most partcontained within a marginal body compartment 16a.

The inflatable structure 12 is constructed in the conventional manner,of plastic, elastomeric, coated fabric or other suitable materials. Theseveral compartments 14 and 16 communicate with each other throughopenings therebetween, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 by the openings20 between adjacent tubular compartments 16. The structure is inflatedby means of the pump 18, -and deflated by a suitable exhaust valve, notshown, in the ystructure 12. I

The air pump 18 includes an elongated hollow molded body 22 whichincludes a top wall 24 adapted for receiving foot pressure thereon tooperate the pump. The body is arranged adjacent the foot of theinflatable structure 12, and it extends longitudinally in the marginaltubular air compartment 16a. The pump body 22 is confined in the aircompartment by an upper compartment wall or portion 26 which overliesthe top wall 24 of the body, a lower, compartment Wall 28, and outer andinner compartment side walls 30 and 32, respectively. As illustrated inFIG- URE 4, the pump body 22 substantially fills the cross section ofthe air compartment 16a, and the dimensions of the compartment aresuilicient to accommodate the expansion of the body without excessivestrain on the junction of `the body to the compartment and on thecompartment walls.

The pump body 22 preferably is a one-piece molded plastic structurewhich includes a flat normally horizontal top wall 24, a parallel flatbottom wall 34, corrugated side walls 36 and 38, and corrugated outerand inner end Walls 40 and 42, respectively. The side and end walls areconstructed of outwardly extending rounded parallel folds orcorrugations 44, 46 and 48, and inwardly extending V-shaped bends ortroughs 50 and 52 which alternate therewith. Each fold and each bendextends completely around the pump body 22. The folds and bends arecompressible and resilient, so that the pump body functions a bellows inthe manner illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.' The compressibility of thebody preferably is greater in its central areas than in its end portionsin which air valves' are mounted.` j

It is preferred to construct the pump body 22 by mold ing a syntheticthermoplastic resinous material, which is further preferably a syntheticpolyolefln, such as the polymers of ethylene and propylene. It isnecessary that the polymer be capable of forming flexible resilientrelatively thin-walled structures which are yet sufficiently rigid orstiff to be `self-supporting. Polyethylene is admirably suited for thepurpose, and it may be blow-molded into the configuration of the hollowair pump body 22. The wall thickness may be, for example, about 1A;inch. The pump body illustrated is about 13 inches in length and about21/2` inches in height. In providing the necessary structural strengthand resiliency, it is preferred to employ three or four folds 44, 46 and48 in the sideand end walls. In this manner, a unitary pump body 22 isprovided which requires no springs or other structure', and includes noparts or materials of construction which are prone to damage bywater,oxidation, or physical contacts while in use. l

The pump body 22 defines an' air chamber 54 having the shape of thebody, a circular air intake opening 56 in the top wall 24, and acircular air exhaust opening 58 in 3 the inner end wall 42. A tubularair exhaust nozzle 60 is integrally molded on the body at the exhaustopening S8. The nozzle includes a central circular orifice 62 of reduceddiameter. Thenozzle includes an annular groove 64 on its outer surfaceand intermediate its ends, 4for accommodating a valve device. In thepreferred embodiment, a normally closed apper valve 66 is secured to thenozzle 64, to provide an air exhaust check valve. .ItV preferably .isconstructed of plastic .or elastomeric material. The valve opens .toadmit air from the pump body 22 into the'air compartment 16a .of theinilatable structure 12 when the pump body is compressed and deated,inthe manner illustrated inFIGI-JREB. When the body expands upon releaseof pressure, .the exhaust valve closes asillustrated in .FIGURE 2.

An intake check valve .68 Yis mounted in the air intake opening 56 inthe vtop wall 24 ofthe pump body at vthe opposite end of the pump -bodyfrom the exhaust valve 66. Theintake valve is constructed ofelastomeric, .plastic or other suitable material. It includes anupstanding tubular body 70 Vand an outer annular groove 72 thereonintermediate lits ends for reception of the surrounding portions of the.top wall 24 of the pump body, to secure the valve and body together.

The intake valve includes an integral annular valve Vseat 74 extendinginwardly at its inner or bottom end. The edge of the valve seat isbevelled on its outer surface, as indicated at 75. A movable valve discmember V76 is mounted on the valve seat for back and forth movementtherein, being supported thereon by four vertical outwardly turnedvhangers V78 which engage the seat. The valve member is arranged toclosey the opening 77 in the body when the air pump is deflated in themanner i1lus- Y trated in FIGURE 3. The valve member is forced upwardlyby the resulting air pressure, and a bevelled rim 79 thereon seats onthe valve seat bevel 75. When the pressure is released from the pumpbody, it 'expands and air is drawn through the intake valve body 70 andaround the valve member 76, vto admit air into the pump chamber 54. f

An outwardly extending annular attachment member 80 is integrally formedon the outer surface of the intake valve body 70, and it forms one sideof the groove 72 receiving the top wall 24 of the pump body. The topwall 26 of the air compartment 16a is provided with a circular opening82 which registers with the top opening 56 in the pump body, for.reception of the intake valve 68 therein. Both the top wall 24 of thepump and the top wall 26 of the air compartment are Vreceived in theintake valve outer groove 72, and Vthey may be secured together by anadhesive or other suitable means if desired. The valve attachment member80 is secured on the outer surface of the air compartment top wall 26 ina suitable manner, .such as by an adhesive or by heat welding. i

The intake valve is closed vby a plug 84 attached to the outer surfaceof the valve attachment member S0 by a pair of flexible straps 86. Oneend of each strap is integral with the plug, and vthe other end is.integral with the attachment member. The plug is inserted in theopening or passage 77 in the valve body, and it is removedby lifting Vatab i integral with the top of the plug. An annular peripheral bead 92is formed on the inner end of the plug, and an annular bead 94 isvformed around the inner wall of the intake valvebody 70. The mouth ofthe valve body is bevelled inwardly at 9 6, and a rim 98 on the plugseats on the bevel. In this manner, the plug seals the valve opening andprevents foreign matter from entering the air pump 18.

The air mattress 10 is in deflated condition prior to use in the mannerof a conventional article of its type. The mattress is readied for useby removing the intake valve plug 84 and' alternately compressing andexpanding the pump body 2 2, to k.alternately deate the pump body andexhaust air through the pump exhaust valve 66 into the compartment 16aof the inatable structure, and inflate the pump body with air drawn intothe pump chamber 54 through the intake valve 68. Air is conveyed throughthe openings 20 between adjacent air compartments 'to inflate the entirestructure. The pump is very conveniently operated by foot pressure onthe top wall 24, exerted in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 3, orit may be operated by hand pressure if desired. The construction isespecially adapted to accommodate foot pressure and to stand up underlong repeated use in this manner. The air pump 18 may be employed in asimilar manner with other inflatable structures.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be madein the constructionV and arrangement of the parts within the spirit andscope of the invention. It is intended that such changes and modicationsbe included within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure -by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

l. An air pump for inflatable structures which comprises an elongatedhollow integrally molded unitary body constructed of flexiblepolyethylene, a top wall in said -body having a substantially flatsurface of a size sutlicient for receiving foot pressure thereon, aplurality of resilient folds in opposed elongated side walls in saidbody and supporting the l-bocly in an expanded state, said lfolds beingcompressible by ypressure exerted on said sub stantially flat surface ofsaid top wall to deilate said body, said folds expanding upon release ofsaid pressure to iniate said body, an air Vexhaust nozzle Vin an endWall in said body, an air exhaust check Vvalve connected to said nozzle,air intake opening means in said top wall, an air intake check valvemountedV at said intake opening and connectable to an inflatablestructure at a ywall opening therein, and plug means for closing saidair intake opening means and providing a water tight seal thereat.

2. A self-contained air mattress comprising an air compartment having asubstantially flat surface portion, an elongated hollow integrallymolded unitary Ybody therein constructed'of flexible polyethylene, atopY wall in Said body having a substantially flat surface of a sizesutl'icient for receiving foot pressure thereon, said substantially atsurface of said top wall being positioned directly below thesubstantially flat surface portion of said air compartment so that thefoot may be placed upon the latter for applying foot pressure to theformer, a plurality of resilient folds in opposed elongated side wallsin said body and supporting the body in an expanded state, said foldsbeing compressible by pressure exerted on said top wall to deflatersaidbody, said folds expanding upon release of said pressure to inflate saidbody, an air exhaust nozzle in an end wall in said body, an air exhaustflapper check valve connected to said nozzle for inilating said compart-.ment upon detiating said body, air intake opening means in said topWall, an air intake check valve mounted at said intake opening andconnected to said compartment at an opening in an external wall thereof,and plug means positioned external to said air compartment for closingsaid air intake opening means and providing a water tight seal thereatfor preventing Water from entering into said body and said aircompartment.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,021,156 Smith Nov. 19, 1935 '2,068,134 Houghton Jan. 19, 19372,680,477 Schira June 8, 1954 2,686,006 Hasselquist Aug. 10, 19542,754,931 Riker July 17, 1956 2,785,852 Bramming Mar. 19, 1957 2,947,470Ruben et al Aug. 2, 1962

